Suspenders



(NoModeL') r A. M. ZIEGLER.

SUSPBNDERS.

mas-1,916.

Patented Dec. 24,1895] UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

ALFRED M. ZIEGLER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SUSPEND'ERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 551,916, dated December 24, 1895. Application filed November 26, 1894. Serial No. 529,976. (No specimens.)

To coZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED M. ZIEGLER, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Suspenders, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to suspenders of the class wherein the shoulder webs or straps are passed through openings or slots in the cast oifs or connections to which the button cords or straps are j oined, said straps being looped back on themselves, adjustment being effected by lengthening or shortening the loops. In suspenders of this class, as in most classes, the cast-offs or connections for the button cords or straps are provided with hooks to receive the said cords or straps or loops thereon, and it has heretofore been the usual custom to place these hooks at the outer sides of the cast-offs or the plates forming the bodies of the same, leaving the insides smooth to prevent injury to the underclothing of the wearer. The hook at the outside of the buckle or cast-off, however, tends to tear the lining of the vest, yet it is impracticable to apply any covering or tab at the outside of a buckle, because such an arrangement would render the buckle or cast-off inaccessible for manipulation. Because of this, the hooks or other projecting parts of the buckles or castoffs have, so far as I am aware, universally been left exposed and free to wear or tear the vest-linings. I have therefore sought to devise suspenders wherein not only the clothing beneath the buckles or cast-offs but also the vest-linings should be protected from wear by the exposed or projecting parts of the buckles or cast-offs. One side of the buckle or castoff can always be made smooth and free from projections, and this has usually been the back side, but in accordance with my present invention I reverse the buckle and place the smooth hitherto back side at the front, so that the hooks or other projecting parts of the buckles shall be at the inside next the underclothing of the wearer, and to protect said underclothing from wear and tear by reason of these projecting parts of the buckles I provide a depending tab or protector which extends between the buckle or cast-off and the underclothing to shield the latter. By this construction the clothing at both sides the buckle or cast-off is protected, yet the buckle or cast-off stands in front of the depending tab or protector, and is therefore easily accessible for manipulation, as hitherto.

In the drawings, Figure 1 in face View shows a sufficient portion of a pair of suspenders to enable my invention to be understood; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the same on the dotted line at 00; Fig. 3, a perspective detail illustratin g the preferred manner of attaching the protecting-pieces, and Fig. 4 a perspective view illustrating a modification to be described.

Referring to the drawings, A represents one of the ends of the shoulder webs or straps ofa pair of suspenders of common construction, said end being passed through a slot or opening I) in a usual connection shown as one form of cast-off B, looped back and again adjustably attached to or upon itself by means of a suitable buckle or catch 0.

The cast-off B, as herein shown, has a smooth outer face, meaning by smooth free from projections, and it has an inturned hook Z), in which is laid the button cord or strap 5 To protectthe underclothing of the wearer from the action of the projecting hook I) I have provided each cast-off with a protectingpiece 01 or protector, as I shall hereinafter denominate it, the same, as shown, being attached in suitable manner, as by a loop 06, to a suitable link (1 herein shown as passed through a ferrule c, which also incloses the top bar of the cast-ofi, the shoulder strap or web being looped about the ferrule, as shown in Fig. 2. This protector is preferably of ma terial similar in kind and color to that of the shoulder-strap, and may be bound or trimmed in suitable manner, as indicated at 61 to present an attractive appearance.

It will be seen that in accordance with my invention the usual cast-off is turned back side out, so that'its smooth hitherto back side now presents a smooth front side, which cannot injure the linings of the vest. By thus reversing the position of the cast-off I am enabled to cover or conceal the inturned hook by the protector 01 without rendering the castoff inaccessible, thus protecting the clothing at both sides the cast-off.

In Figs. 1 and 3 the protector is attached to the cast-off, but in Fig. 4: I have shown the protector as attached to a link d passed through and hung from the shoulder-strap oop.

My invention is not limited in its application to any particular construction of shoulder or button straps or their attachments, the only essential feature being that the smooth side of the buckle of the hook or cast-off shall be I turned out, in order that the projecting parts at the opposite side may be protected or shielded by a tab or protector, which shall not cover or conceal the hook or cast-off and render the same inaccessible for use.

I claim 1. The combination ,With a suspender shoulder strap having its end looped, means for varying said loop for adjustment, and a button cord or strap, of a connection or cast-off connected to said loop, having a smooth outer surface and having an inturned projection open at its free end to which the button strap or loop may be removably attached, and a protector hung at the back of the said connection or cast-off and to depend over said projection thereupon, whereby the projections at the inner side of the connection or cast-off are protected to save the wearers underclothing without concealing and rendering inaccessi- -ble the said connection or cast-off, and also an outer surface is provided Without projections thereby to save the wearers outer clothing, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a suspender shoulder strap, means for varying its adjustment, and a button cord or strap, of a connection or cast-ofi connected to said strap and having a smooth outer surface, said cast-01f being pro- Vided with an inwardly and upwardly turned projection open at its free end and partially closed against the adjacent portion of the castoff, to which the button-strap may be removably attached, and a protector hung at the back of said connection or cast-off to depend over and below said projection thereupon, whereby a smooth front and rear surface are provided to protect the wearers clothing without interfering with the ready removal of said strap from said projection, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses;

ALFRED M ZIEGLER. WVitnesses:

FREDERICK L. EMERY, EDWARD F. ALLEN. 

